The demand for cellular phones and other modern communication services has increased the need for additional telecommunications antenna towers. Telecommunications antenna towers must be specifically located in order to provide even signal coverage. Consequently, the acquisition of real estate for erecting communication towers has become a major concern for telecommunication service providers. Generally, land owners are unwilling to lease or sell small parcels of land for the erection of communications towers. Large metal communications towers are generally undesirable to residents and property owners and reduce the value of the surrounding properties. For these reasons, municipal zoning boards are inherently reluctant to grant zoning permits for the erection of communications towers.
Placing advertising signs on the sides of communications towers provides a potential benefit for the property owners. Typically, the signs are illuminated by front lighting, which shines on the face of the signs. The lights for the front illumination are sometimes placed upon the ground around the antenna tower, which increases the amount of real estate required. The ground lighting must be placed at a sufficient angle and distance to provide even lighting across the sign face. Even lighting is seldom achieved. In order to provide uniform illumination, back lit advertising sign panels have been developed. In back lit sign panels, the location of the light source is critical. If the light source is mounted within the protected framework of the tower, the cross members of the lattice cast shadows on the back of the sign panels. Most conventional back lit signs are single unit assemblies which are mounted directly to the communications tower. The single unit back lit signs are costly and expensive to service and replace.